Never had I ever been in a helicopter. And I'd say for my maiden voyage, given a crystal clear day above the world's greatest city, the experience was pretty epic. We recently teamed up with Manhattan Helicopters to take an aerial tour of New York's iconic skyline. Their company was fantastic, and our guide was awesome. No joke, he was pumping Jack Johnson while we swung around One World Trade. With nothing but blue skies, we witnessed amazing views of The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governors Island, Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan, Central Park, and beyond! Check out our shots from the ride and enjoy The Big Apple from up above! NOTE: no drones were used the making of this production, just an SLR and some rocky turbulence.
Dîner en Blanc || NYC 2016
One week ago today, a bunch of New Yorkers dined al fresco along the Hudson River. The sun was setting - as it so famously does - fading west across the rest of mainland America. But this sunset was particularly different than most. Édith Piaf’s melodious voice echoed across Robert F. Wagner Junior Park, amongst 5,000 new friends. All of who were dressed in white; head to toe, all out. From feathered hats that rivaled (and would most likely outdo) The Derby, down to the freshest-to-death white leather brogues, this sea of outfits was on point (on fleek… if you will). Bread had been broken, Moët was flowing, and hundreds upon hundreds were dancing to the beautiful French tunes. This wasn’t just a fancy picnic in the park, this was a secret pop-up supper that took every breath away; it was Le Dîner en Blanc.
(Photo courtesy of Dîner en Blanc.)
Le Dîner en Blanc is an experience like no other, and finally getting the chance to be a part of it (after three years on the waitlist) felt right. It just felt right. And it felt even “righter” when I found out that this year’s event had a waitlist of roughly 45,000! Le Dîner en Blanc started nearly 30 years ago by a group of friends in Paris, and is now celebrated in over 70 cities worldwide; from Rwanda to Japan, Argentina to Sweden, Le Dîner has truly grown into a full-blown international phenomenon!
So here’s how it goes… once you get off the waiting list that is. The following information, briefly summarizes the gist of how the event happens:
- You can only wear all white (top, pants, dress, shoes, accessories, etc.). All white, no exceptions.
- As this emulates a picnic, you must bring something to eat, and obviously something to eat off. But wait, no blankets, fast food, or paper napkins here! You are required to pack in a three course meal (you can now purchase dinners catered directly through Le Dîner), to be served on non-disposable dishes/cutlery. And not a reusable plate from REI, we’re talking about the good stuff. Bust out the old silver set, and grab those crystal champagne flutes you’ve been yearning to use (or just dreaming about them). Plus, our own white chairs, table, and a crisp white tablecloth to boot. Nothing is pro died for you.
- Pack out what you brought in, so it doesn’t seem as if we were even there (bring a white garbage bag!).
- HAVE FUN and make as many friends as possible!
But I think the best part about it all if the secrecy of it. You essentially don’t know the location until you arrive there! Of NYC’s roughly 5,000 attendees, everyone meets at different pre-assigned locations scattered across the city between 5:00 & 6:00 PM. We met at Madison Square Park, and there were about 200 of us on the corner of 23rd & Broadway. Quite the scene for those commuting to and from wherever their day’d taken them. Our larger group was getting lots of inquisitive looks. A couple hundred people, all dressed to the nines, with portable tables and chairs. Picture an impromptu wedding reception, about to setup on the sidewalk - dressed thinking like they’re all the bride. But this meeting is facilitated by a group leader and their Dîner squad of sub-leaders, who in turn led us down into the subway… On a Thursday… at 5:45 PM. If you didn’t already catch my drift, it’s rush hour - on the N train, and we quickly find out we’re heading downtown. Whispers turn to shouts, and you hear - “Take the next N train, 8 stops! EIGHT STOPS!” And that’s when we all quickly calculate we’re heading to South Ferry. Are we possibly going across to Governor’s Island? The thought crossed our mind, but orchestrating this many people onto ferries seemed a bit much.
After a relatively calm commute, as our group emerged back above ground at the southern tip of Manhattan, every direction you looked was full of other groups of 200 people, all doing the same thing: walking towards the setting sun into Battery City Park. This was the slightly chaotic part; we were all trying to line up with our assigned group (who you’d just traveled with). Somehow, we all made it through, got our tables set up, and then the event ceremoniously started by having all the dining guests spin their white linen napkins over their heads in unison, hooting & hollering, commemorating the official kick-off to 2016’s dîner. It’s kind of hard to explain how much fun it all was, and how it looked, but please check-out last year’s reap video for some visuals.
If you’re interested in learning more about the roots of the soiree, seeing photos of years past, and most importantly on how to join the party (here, there and/or everywhere), check out Le Dîner en Blanc’s website for more info.
Meet | Wander | Create
We recently caught up with an amazing group of travel-inspired creatives in Central Park for an NYC Instameet! Our pal Kristen over at @BorderFreeTravels co-hosted an Instameet with our new friend Jessica of @DiningTraveler called #MeetWanderCreateNYC. The New York Times Travel Show coinciding with the weekend, and this meetup in the Park was a perfect opportunity to share travel stories, meet other passionate wanderlusters, and capture some great photos!
There ended up being six of us, all working on different projects from all over the country (and the world!); continue along for more information about who we met up during the Instameet (please click-through the following hyperlinks to their personal sites/accounts):
· Border Free Travels [Kristen Kellogg]: Wanderlust Website + Creative Agency;
· Dayvee Sutton: Sports, Lifestyle & Entertainment Journalist/Entrepreneur;
· Tida Jeab: NYC based Thailand Insider, working for the Tourism Authority of Thailand;
These professionals are taking the travel world by storm across the globe, while reporting it all from their blogs, websites, and all social media outlets! Make sure to follow all of them along on their adventures, and enjoy a selection of shots from our Instameet.
Photo cred: @BorderFreeTravels
Photo cred: @BorderFreeTravels
Rockaway Brewing Company || Extra Special Brewery
On the corner of 46th Ave. and 5th St. in Long Island City, you’ll find a rustic brick warehouse decorated with brightly colored murals, but what everyone’s actually talking about lies behind the building’s red doors. Originally starting off as backyard homebrewing out in the Far Rockaways by two motivated surfing neighbors, the Rockaway Brewing Company now calls the borough of Queens home and has grown over a few short years to become one of New York City’s most passionate independent craft breweries. With money from their own pockets, plus the love and support of family, friends, and a successful Kickstarter campaign, co-founders Marcus Burnett and Ethan Long have been able to expand and strengthen their business into something truly epic.
They’ve created an amazing space within their brewery for production purposes but also for consumer experience. As quoted on their website, “Someone’s always around doing something interesting,” so why not stop by and see what’s going on! Right when you walk in, there’s a stand on the left to collect all the RBCo. swag you need (ranging from slap koozies, to trucker hats and pint glasses), which then opens up to a tasting bar and lounge area. Hand cut wooden stools scatter the room, and for stopping by on one of the first cold days of the season, the place was packed.
They’re open every day of the week (except Tuesday) til about 9 PM, but are open their longest on Saturday and Sunday (Sa: 12-10, Su: 12-9). Plus they offer free tours of the brewery on Fridays and over the weekend. A vintage pinball table attracts imbibers to the back corner, while the sounds of Jim Morrison and the Beach Boys resonate amidst the patron’s chatter. They’ve also got a studio/gathering space upstairs for workshops, events and dinners!
We got a chance to chat with one of co-founders, Marcus, as we perused the brewing rooms. He provided us with a bit of their history, how they started out at the Rockaways, then found this amazing space in Queens, and decided to make the move. His enthusiasm to be a part of the craft brewery world in New York was obvious, but he was very proud to be paving their own path together with Ethan and the entire team. As he said, they’re not the first to be doing this, nor will they be the last. And the best takeaway was that they’re doing what they love, and doing it really well. Their signature brew is the sweet yet malty Rockaway ESB (extra special bitter), and definitely hits the spot! Their other elixirs include a black gold stout, farmhouse saison, pale ale, ale aged in bourbon barrels, and much-much more.
So go grab a pint, a growler (or five), and get a taste of one of Queen’s rocking breweries, at the Rockaway Brewing Company! CHEERS!
Diner en Blanc: A Classy Flash Mob Dinner Party
Finding yourself in the middle of a flash mob dinner party, with 5,000 New Yorkers dressed to the nines in all white clothing, is the perfect way to spend an evening in July.
Diner en Blanc is a dinner party that kept secret until minutes before the event actually begins. While this particular night has become cultish and more popular in recent years, it originated 27 years ago when Francois Pasquier wanted to have a dinner party with friends after returning from traveling. So many of his friends wanted to attend, he asked to meet at the Bois du Boulogne and to be dressed in all white, so they were recognizable. This event grew into the exclusive dinner party that it is today and is celebrated in only the most deserving cities all over the world.
Diner en Blanc begins when guests meet at their assigned locations all over NYC only to follow their table leader through the underbelly of the city to an undisclosed location. All this time, the people in attendance are carrying their picnic baskets full of food and their tables and chairs. Upon arrival, there is a sea of New Yorkers wearing decadent white clothing, who create elaborate dinner settings within minutes. In no time, Pier 26 transforms from an empty west side location into a thriving dinner party with thousands of guests, music, food, and lots of wine. While the event is located in NYC, the original Parisian dinner party is not lost due to the music and theme of the night.
When the announcement is made for guests to waive their napkins overhead, the night has officially begun. Between great conversation, cheering, popping of corks, clinking of wine glasses, professional bongo players and French music, the dinner is nothing short of the classiest flash mob anyone has ever been to. It doesn’t take long for the wine to flow and the dance floor to become packed, thanks to Miss Tara.
The night is filled with friends and couples, dancing, eating, drinking, and smiling all while wearing white outfits. But, just as quickly as we arrived, the event concludes and everyone disappears into the warm NYC night, ending another successful year of Diner en Blanc.
